used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
adventurernounUS /ædˈventʃərər/
a person who enjoys taking risks
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
bellowingnounUS /ˈbeloʊɪŋ/
a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/
muscular and heavily built
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
butt-end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
chauffeurnounUS /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/
a man paid to drive a privately owned car
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
a boy or man
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
groaningverbUS /ˈɡroʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/
a major road for any form of motor transport
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
highwaymannoun
a holdup man who stops a vehicle and steals from it
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
cause to move by striking
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
incitedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪtɪd/
past form of “incite” — give an incentive for action
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
occupantnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənt/
someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
pistolnounUS /ˈpɪstəl/
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
prostrateverbUS /ˈprɑːstreɪt/
get into a prostrate position, as in submission
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
raucousadjectiveUS /ˈrɔːkəs/
unpleasantly loud and harsh
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
robbernounUS /ˈrɑːbər/
a thief who steals from someone by threatening violence
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
savagelyadverbUS /ˈsævɪdʒli/
in a vicious manner
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
savagerynounUS /ˈsævɪdʒeri/
the property of being untamed and ferocious
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
past form of “seize” — take hold of; grab
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
SteppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
dependable
From this reading Stepping over his prostrate body the adventurer pulled open the door, seized the stout occupant savagely by the ear, and dragged him bellowing on to the highway.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Now they turned in an instant to savagery.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Up to this point the proceedings of the modern highwayman might have passed as gentle.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The chauffeur, a burly, capable fellow, incited by that raucous voice behind him, sprang from the car and seized the advancing robber by the throat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The latter hit out with the butt-end of his pistol, and the man dropped groaning on the road.
